Crypto Project Reviews

Altcoinist 2024 Bull Run #ALPHA Pick: $ATOR

ATOR - Infrastructure for the Sovereign Internet

"What has taken Tor 20 years to encourage 6500 relays on their network will take us months. The tokenomics paper outlines how the ATOR token will drive ATOR’s relay network, and this will drive ATOR’s own routing network."

$ATOR is creating the largest onion-routing network using decentralized privacy tech, on-chain incentives, and signature hardware to scale anonymous routing.

  • Peer-to-Peer Privacy Network
  • Decentralized Physical Infrastructure #DePin
  • Sovereign Internet Pioneer
  • Web3 Incentives combined with #DePin
  • Proof-of-Uptime
  • Fair-Launched
  • Open Source
  • Gasless, Immutable Distribution (Arweave L2)
  • Launchpad for privacy-oriented services
  • Vision upgraded, Team expanded
  • $52M Market Cap

Cryptocurrency is revolutionizing the digital landscape with innovative incentive mechanisms, challenging centralized financial systems, and fostering a more equitable, transparent ecosystem.

At the forefront is the $ATOR Protocol, championing a sovereign internet and robust peer-to-peer networks.

In an age where Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and reduced data privacy loom large, ATOR's commitment to a decentralized, privacy-centric internet is vital. It stands as a bastion against increasing surveillance and preserving personal freedoms in our digital world.

ATOR's initiatives in Peer-to-Peer Privacy Networking and Decentralized Physical Infrastructure (DePIN) symbolize a new era of digital autonomy and user empowerment.

From Genesis to the Full $ATOR Vision

  • Background and Development: $ATOR, launched before ETH Denver, initially focused on enhancing the Tor network. It has seen substantial growth with over 2000 testnet relays supplementing 6000 active Tor network relays.
  • Challenges with Tor Project: Tor Directory Authorities have exhibited centralized control, recently shutting down over 1000 active relays linked to ATOR, revealing a misalignment with $ATOR's vision of decentralized, trustless networking.
  • ATOR's New Direction: Focusing on developing a decentralized, expansive routing network that rewards each contributing relay. This approach aims to overcome the limitations of the existing Tor network by providing a trustless, scalable solution.
  • Technical Development and Innovation: $ATOR's testnet phase has provided insights into Tor's architecture and the influence of Directory Authorities. Despite these challenges, ATOR continues to develop its unique protocol and hardware, adaptable for the new relay network.
  • Commitment to Decentralization: Despite the challenges posed by centralization within the Tor network, ATOR remains committed to its goal of creating a self-scaling, decentralized network.
  • Community and Team Efforts: Supported by a dedicated team and community, ATOR has shown substantial progress in developing a cross-chain, scalable protocol and bespoke hardware. The recent partnership with Forte Group and an expanded engineering team further bolster ATOR's capabilities.
  • Future Prospects: Despite short-term setbacks, ATOR's strategic redirection positions it to potentially lead in global privacy solutions, aiming to create a network that is scalable, decentralized, and globally accessible.

Addressing Modern Digital Concerns

  • In an era where personal data has become a highly valuable commodity, $ATOR's mission aligns with the growing global demand for enhanced data privacy measures.
  • As traditional financial systems witness the emergence and adoption of cryptocurrencies, ATOR acknowledges and leverages this shift, especially in the context of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) that pose new challenges and control mechanisms over monetary transactions.
  • $ATOR's development is particularly significant against increasing internet censorship and control, offering a decentralized solution that could counteract these trends.

Critical Role in Decentralized Networks

  • $ATOR Protocol stands out as a significant entity in decentralized networks, aligning itself with major players like the Internet, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and BitTorrent.
  • Recognizes and targets the underutilized potential of these networks, aiming to elevate their impact and functionality within the digital ecosystem.

Vision for Decentralized Privacy

  • Transition to Peer-to-Peer Network: Developing its own decentralized network in response to centralization issues with the Tor Project.
  • Rapid Expansion Plans: Projected to onboard tens of thousands of relays within a year, leveraging web3 to empower user anonymity.
  • Dedicated Team: Emphasizes building a trustless, scalable, and decentralized network, moving beyond the limitations of the current Tor network.

Development Challenges and Resilience

  • Centralized Influence in Tor: Faced challenges with Tor Directory Authorities and misalignment with Tor's operational ethos.
  • Resilient Response: Despite setbacks, ATOR has continued to develop its unique network, emphasizing trustless privacy and global participation.

Community Engagement and Development

  • Open-Source Development: Maintains transparency and community involvement through open-source development and public progress updates.
  • Collaborations and Partnerships: Engaging with technology partners like Forte Group and Hotspotty to drive innovation.

Anonimity Layer of ATOR

  • Global Relay Network: Traffic is routed through a network of globally distributed relays using layered encryption for enhanced security.
  • Decentralized Routing: Employs decentralized routing authorities, offering greater freedom and flexibility in routing choices.
  • Network-Integrated Services: Services are built within the network itself, effectively eliminating the bottleneck caused by 'exit nodes'.
  • Incentive Mechanism: Offers perpetual incentives for relay operators, distributed based on the useful bandwidth provided by each relay.
  • High-Bandwidth Circuits: Features dedicated, high-bandwidth private and service circuits, facilitated through the use of the $ATOR token.

Participation in the ATOR network

  • Universal Access: Designed to be accessible for every internet user, allowing widespread contribution to global privacy.
  • Hourly Rewards: Participants receive rewards on an hourly basis, with distribution recorded immutably on Arweave L2.
  • Ease of Transition: Offers a universal service interface and SDK, facilitating smooth transition to the ATOR privacy layer.
  • ATOR Relay Hardware: Provides low-power, plug-and-play hardware setup for easy participation.
  • Software Compatibility: Supports running the ATOR relay package on both Linux x64 and ARM platforms.

ATOR and the #DePin narrative

  • DePIN Sector: ATOR is part of the Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) sector, combining blockchain, hardware, and economics to incentivize physical infrastructure development and maintenance.
  • Economic Incentives: Utilizes blockchain technology and tokens to provide economic incentives for network contributions, enhancing decentralization and efficiency.
  • Market Potential: The DePIN sector is projected to grow significantly, with a potential market cap increase from $6.26 billion to $3.5 trillion by 2028.

2024 Hardware Release and $ATOR Mainnet Launch

  • Specialized, low-power relay with 64-bit quad-core processor, 4GB memory, and upgradable 128GB storage.
  • Incorporates crypto-auth encryption chip, metallic aluminum body, live operation LEDs, and automatic cooling.
  • Equipped with Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, and USB setup for secure installation.
  • Powered by USB Type-C with 5 volts 3 amp power supply.
  • Offers opportunities for global testing from 2024, compatible with virtual machines, DePin hardware, or ATOR Relay.

Anonymity Layer for DePin

  • ATOR aims to build the largest global onion-routing ecosystem with decentralized privacy protocol, on-chain incentives, and signature hardware.
  • The network is designed for decentralization with no authority controlling traffic flow.
  • MVP of the ATOR Network planned for live launch in Q1 2024.
  • The ATOR Relay Reward Protocol incentivizes relays in the DePin network, allowing them to mine ATOR tokens in real-time for bandwidth contribution.
  • Hardware functions as a node, enabling users to earn ATOR tokens by contributing bandwidth and routing personal browsing through ATOR.
  • Hardware presale scheduled for Q4 2023.

AirTor Protocol $ATOR Tokenomics


ATOR is a fair-launched token with no presale or VC holding. Their unique raise contract used in the launch stage, and the 4/4 tax for trading ATOR on the Uniswap WETH/ATOR pair, have together enabled them to self-fund our mission without large institutional or VC holding. The application of linear vesting prevents sudden, large token unlocks that have caused issues for other newer cryptocurrencies.

"$ATOR is the Lifeblood of an Ecosystem"

  • Current Price: $0.705682
  • Market Cap: $51,899,298
  • Fully Diluted Valuation: $70,831,386
  • Circulating Supply: 73,271,611 ATOR
  • Max Supply: 100,000,000 ATOR
  • Token Rank: #557

Token Distribution

  • Circulating Supply: 75% of the total supply is currently in circulation, including tokens within liquidity pairs and exchanges.
  • Relay Rewards Pool: 10% of the total supply is allocated to fund perpetual token rewards for relays in the network.
  • Development and Team Funds: 15% of the total supply is vested linearly over 18 months for purposes such as outreach, partnerships, development, exchange listings, and team funds.

Tokenomics to Scale

  • Collaboration with FinDas to create a balanced system of sustainability and incentives.
  • The ATOR Token is integral to the ecosystem, serving as incentives for relay bandwidth contribution, governance, and as a unit of exchange for services.

Token Distribution

  • Circulating Supply: 75% of the total supply is currently in circulation, including tokens within liquidity pairs and exchanges.
  • Relay Rewards Pool: 10% of the total supply is allocated to fund perpetual token rewards for relays in the network.
  • Development and Team Funds: 15% of the total supply is vested linearly over 18 months for purposes such as outreach, partnerships, development, exchange listings, and team funds.

Roadmap and Development Phases

  • Focus on decentralization with parallel development in hardware, protocol, community outreach, education, and long-term planning.
  • Planned phases include ATOR launch, protocol and relay beta, reward protocol beta and hardware rollout, building the ATOR Network, and creating an ecosystem for services.

Partnerships and Team


ATOR is made possible by our core team of experts. Our collective experience includes building one of Europe's largest social media, creating seminal Arweave standards, leading global hardware products across commercial and civil defense, and years of building on-chain. What unites us is our single-minded drive to make true privacy the norm for everyone.

Active collaboration with technology partners like Forte Group and Hotspotty.

Altcoinist Conclusion

The journey of ATOR from its initial inception to its current expansive vision exemplifies a transformative leap forward, marking a transition from a niche undertaking to a grand blueprint for internet sovereignty.

The ATOR team, a blend of relentless innovators and visionary tacticians, has demonstrated exemplary dedication and has everything to fulfill this bigger vision.

The Altcoinist team is extremely looking forward to the ATOR protocol kickstarting relay growth in 2024 to become the biggest #DePin relay operator in the space. We also believe that the DePin sector will be one of the leading narratives of the next year.